Roller skates with eccentric wheels



July 24, 1962 w. J. HUMPHRIES 3,046,032

ROLLER SKATES WITH ECCENTRIC WHEELS Filed June 29, 1959 INVEN T WHERE/V EVA/FHA BY W H15 HE T United States atent fi-ice 3,046,032 Patented July 24, 1962 3,046,032 ROLLER SKATES WITH ECCENTRIC WHEELS Warren J. Humplnies, 1709 McGregor Ave., Wichita Falls, Tex. Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,569 6 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.19)

This invention relates to roller skates and more particularly to novelty roller skates with which to perform trick skating, and on which to perform in such manner that normal skating simulates dancing.

The wheels of the present skates are so journaled on anti-friction bearings that they will roll smoothly, and are so contoured that they will yield to corners without material side-slip. The present skates are so constructed that the pair of wheels on each axle turn in unison. However, the faces of the wheels are so contoured that they will easily compenate for the turning of corners.

An object of this invention is to provide a roller skate which will present an unusual thrill to the skater and to the spectators.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller skate, the use of which presents novelty movements, even when used by an inexperienced skater.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller skate whereby the skater can simulate dancing while moving across the skating floor.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a roller skate which will wobble as it rolls to give a thrilling sensation to the skater.

With these objects in mind and others which will be come manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one of a pair of roller skates, with parts broken away and shortened, and with parts shown in section to bring out the details of construction, and with an alternate position of one of the wheels being shown in dashed outline;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of one of the skates with parts being broken away and shortened, and with parts being shown in section to bring out the details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the bearing construction, and showing one of the positions of the wheels; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on a reduced scale, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing a section thtrough the rubber mounting block of the skate.

With more detailed reference to the drawing and to the construction of the skate, the numeral 1 designates generally the shoe support plate of the skate which has a toe engaging member '2 at one end and a heel engaging member 4 on the opposite end thereof. A portion of strap 6 is shown as being connected to the heel engaging member 4, which strap secures the skate to the foot of the wearer.

The skate has the usual pair of central, longitudinal support members 8, which members 8 may be telescoped together to bring the heel portion 10 and the toe portion 12 into the proper adjusted relation.

Conventional bearing supports 16 and 18 are mounted on the heel and toe portions respectively, of the skates, which supports have the usual rubber yield blocks 20 and 22, respectively mounted therebelow, with conventional rocking members 24 and 26 being connected to the respective bearing support members 16 and 18, by riveting or burring the metal of the respective lugs 27 and 29 into complementary apertured ears on the respective rocking members 24 and 26, as indicated at 28 in FIG. 4. However it is to be understood that the above practice is standard, or a longitudinal axis between the burred portions 28 may be established in any convenient or desirable manner, so as to enable the rubber block members 20 and 22 to form a relative yielding action between the skate bearings and the respective bearing support members.

The present invention is directed primarily to the eccentric arrangement of the wheels and hearings, to accomplish the result of permitting certain of the wheels 30 and 32 to roll about an eccentric axis, while wheels 34 and 36 roll concentrically about an axis. The respective pairs of wheels '30 and 34 and the wheels 32 and 36 are joined by the respective axles 38 and 40, which. axles are preferably splined and have cotter key holes formed through the respective axles and through the hubs of the respective wheels for keying these parts together as by means of cotter keys 42 and '44, respectively. The bores of the respective wheels have splines therein to complementally receive the respective splined axles.

The axle 38 is fitted within bearings 46 and 48, which hearings are self aligning and are mounted within the re spective pillow blocks 50 and 52, so as to prevent distortion of the axle, upon rolling movement of wheels 30 and 34. The bearing 46 has a shaft bore therein which is formed eccentric with respect to the axis of the outer periphery of the hearing. The eccentricity of the bore in the bearing 46 is related to the eccentricity of the Wheel 30 in the same proportion that the space between the wheel 30 and the bearing 48 is related to the space between the wheels 30 and 34 so that the bearing 46 will roll about the axis of the balls 54 and move about the spherical seat 56 of the hearing, so undue strain will not be had on the axle 38. The eccentricity of the bore in hearing 46 is reckoned by the eccentricity of the wheel 30 and by the proportion of the distance between the wheel 30 and the bearing 46 to the distance between the points at the intersection of the axis of the axle and medial planes passing through the centers of the respective treads of the respective wheels 30 and 34 perpendicular to the axis of said axle. For example, if the eccentricity of wheel 30 is one-quarter inch cit-set to the normal axis thereof, and the bearing 46 is positioned from the wheel 30 one'quan ter the distance between the intersection of the said medial planes with the axis of the axle then the eccentricity of the bearing 46 would be one-quarter less, or three-sixteenths of an inch, so that the bearing will roll and work about its spherical seat 56 so that the wheel 30 will lope with respect to wheel 34 but at the same time, wheels 30 and 34 will roll in unison. However, since wheel 34 is concentric and there will be no low place on this wheel 34, the wheel 34 will cause wheel 30 to be driven through axle 38, thereby giving uniform rolling action to the pairs of wheels.

A spacer bushing 58 is positioned intermediate bearings 46 and 48 to hold the hearings in spaced apart relation. The bearing 48 is concentric with respect to the axial bore thereof. However, the spherical seat 60 of bearing 48 is designed to work in unison with hearing 46 so that the skates will be rocked from side to side at each end, and without synchronization, that is, each shaft 38 and 40 is free to roll so that the pairs of wheels 30- and 34 and 32 and 36 will roll without being in timed relation with respect to each other.

It is to he pointed out that the eccentric wheels 30 and 32 occupy diagonal positions on the respective skates and that the wheels 34 and 36 are likewise diagonally mounted. This will enable the concentric wheels 34 and 36 to provide the main support, with the eccentric wheels 30 and 32 rocking the rear portion and the forward portion respectively of the skates, to create novelty effects as the skater moves along the skating floor.

The rubber mounting blocks 20 and 22 will cushion the ao iaosa rocking movement and will permit the shoe support member 1 to be rocked, and since the Wheels are not timed, the high point of one wheel may coincide with a low point on the diagonally opposite, eccentric wheel, while at other points, both the peaks of the eccentric will come up at the same time, as will the low points. Since the wheels do not follow a set rythrnic pattern, a most unusual and unexpected sensation is had by the skater, who will provide unusual and entertaining effects for the benefit of spectators.

The wheels 30, 31.1, 34 and 36 each have a transversely curved tread surface which tread may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, hard rubber, plastic or wood. The wheels will always roll on a transversely convex contact surface, that is the eccentricity of the wheels 30 and 32 will cause these wheels to gyrate as they roll over the surface of the floor, but the tread surfaces of the wheels will always be in the same contact relation with the floor. Since the pairs of wheels are secured to the respective axles there will be some slippage of the Wheels as the skater moves around corners, however, due to the rounded tread surface, this slippage of the wheels will not be objectionable, furthermore, with the face of the tread being transversely convex, the tread of all four Wheels Will be in contact relation with the skating floor, which will prevent side slippage when curves are being traversed.

For the sake of explanation and clarity, the invention has been described somewhat in detail, however, it is to be understood that the dimensions given herein are given as a matter of example and explanation, and may be varied to suit individual requirements of a manufacturer to accomodate the particular wheels of the skate produced, or to meet the needs of the individual skater.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A roller skate comprising a shoe support plate, axle support members on the lower side of said shoe support plate near each end thereof, axles mounted on said axle support members transversely of said shoe support plate, a wheel mounted near each end of each axle and being secured fixedly thereto for rotation therewith and being fixed against longitudinal movement with respect to said axle, at least one of said wheels being so mounted that the periphery thereof is eccentric with respect to the rotational axis thereof.

2. A roller skate as defined in claim 1; wherein only one of said wheels on each axle is eccentric, and which eccentric wheels are arranged on opposite sides of said skate.

3. A roller skate comprising a shoe support plate, axle support members mounted on the lower side of said shoe support plate near each end thereof, self-aligning bearings mounted in said axle support members, axles mounted in said self aligning bearings in said axle support members transversely of said shoe support plate, a wheel mounted near each end of each axle secured thereto and being rotatable therewith and being fixedly secured thereto and fixed against longitudinal movement with respect thereto, said wheels on diagonally opposite ends of the respective axles being eccentrically mounted with respect to the rational axis thereof and the Wheels on the opposite ends of the respective axles being concentrically mounted with respect to the rotational axis thereof.

4. A roller skate comprising a shoe support plate, a pair of aligned bearing support members secured to the lower side of said shoe support plate near each end there-- of, a bearing mounted in each of said bearing support be positioned transversely of said shoe support plate, a

Wheel fixedly mounted on and secured near each end of each said axle and being rotatable therewith, at least one:

of said wheels mounted on each of said axles having the axle therein concentric with respect thereto, at least one of the other wheels mounted on said axles having the axle positioned eccentrically thereof, said bearings mounted within said respective pairs of bearing supports journaling said respective axles so said hearings will align with the respective axles so each said wheels will be in rolling contact with a plane surface when rolled thereover.

5. A roller skate comprising; a shoe support plate, a pair of aligned bearing support members secured near each end of said shoe support plate on the lower side thereof, a self-aligning bearing mounted in each said bearing support member and spaced apart, one bearing of each pair of bearings having a bore formed therein which bore is eccentric with respect to the periphery thereof, the other bearing of each pair of bearings having a bore formed therethrough which bore is concentric with respect to the periphery thereof, a transverse axle mounted in each pair of bearings so as to be positioned transversely of said shoe support plate, a wheel mounted on and secured near each end of each said axles and being rotatable therewith, said bearings mounted within said respective pairs of bearing supports journaling said respective axles so the hearings will align with the respective axles so each said wheel will be in rolling contact with a plane surface when rolled thereover.

6. A roller skate comprising; a shoe support plate, a pair of aligned bearing support members secured near each end of said shoe support plate on the lower side thereof, a self-aligning bearing mounted in each said bearing support member, said bearings each having a bore formed therethrough, the bores of the respective pairs of bearings being in axial alignment, one bearing of each said pair of bearings having the bore thereof formed eccentrio with respect to the periphery thereof, the other of each said pair of bearings having the bore thereof formed concentric with respect to the periphery thereof, a transverse axle mounted within the bores of the respective pairs of said bearings so as to be positioned transversely of said shoe support plate, a pair of wheels mounted on each end thereof and being rotatable therewith, one of said wheels mounted on each said axle having the axle therein concentric with respect thereto, the other said wheel on each said axle having the axle positioned therein eccentrically thereof, each said eccentrically bored bearing being adjacent an eccentrically mounted wheel and each said hearing which is concentrically bored being adjacent a concentrically mounted Wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

